Time + talent + fame = $2 million

Here’s an example of how an insignificant item can become extremely valuable.

In many hotel rooms, you’ll find free stationery. If you use it to write letters saying what a great trip you’re having, the hotel gets a little free advertising.

Recently, someone paid more than $2 million for four pages of hotel stationery! Why? Because Bob Dylan used it 50 years ago to write “Like a Rolling Stone.” You can even see his pencil-drawn doodles and the lyrics he rejected while writing the song that is always listed near the top of “greatest songs” lists.

You might know someone you think will eventually end up as famous as Bob Dylan, and it’d be fun to save samples of his or her early work. But it’s far from a guarantee that you (or your children or grandchildren) will eventually have $2 million. No, for that, you’ll want to spend wisely, study hard and get in the habit of setting aside a portion of every dollar you earn in a savings account.